Periódicos de Pediatria e redes sociais: estratégias simples para a divulgação científica alinhada à Ciência Aberta

Abstract

Introduction: Open Science proposes the transformation of the modes of production, circulation, and use of scientific knowledge, promoting transparency, citizen participation, and broader access to research results. In this context, digital social media emerge as accessible communication tools with the potential to expand the visibility of scientific journals and foster dialogue among different stakeholders, including civil society. The field of pediatrics, due to its interprofessional and cross-sectoral nature, is particularly sensitive to scientific dissemination aimed at diverse audiences. Nevertheless, the strategic use of social media by academic journals remains heterogeneous and is scarcely documented in the national literature. In light of this gap, the present study proposes an analysis of the institutional presence of open access journals with a pediatric scope on major social media platforms, reflecting on their role in raising awareness of Open Science and in developing competencies in scientific communication.

Objective: To map the presence of pediatric journals on social media and to discuss how such channels can foster science communication practices consistent with the principles of Open Science.

Methodology: This is a descriptive study, based on a manual survey conducted on the CAPES Journal Portal in July 2025. Journals classified under the Health Sciences area, whose titles contained the terms "pediatria," "pediátrica," or "pediatra," and that were available in open access, were selected. Subsequently, an individual search was carried out to identify the official institutional profiles of these journals on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and LinkedIn. Journals that, although appearing in the portal search results, did not have a direct relation to pediatrics in their title were excluded.

Results and Discussion: A total of 35 journals met the defined criteria. Of these, 19 had institutional profiles on at least one social media platform. Facebook and X were the most frequently used, followed by LinkedIn and Instagram. Posts generally focused on the dissemination of new issues, calls for submissions, and journal-related events, with little use of interactive features or lay-friendly language. The absence of social media profiles for most journals highlights an opportunity for training editorial teams and researchers. Social media engagement can significantly contribute to the broad dissemination of knowledge, promote equity in access to scientific information, and help build a culture of Open Science. In this regard, the adoption of simple strategies—such as creating institutional profiles and using accessible language—may strengthen dissemination processes.

Final Considerations: The integration of pediatric journals into social media represents a practice aligned with the guidelines of Open Science, by promoting public access, enhancing the visibility of research results, and fostering interaction with different audiences. The mapping carried out reveals the need to strengthen digital communication skills among editors, authors, and editorial teams. As a follow-up, the development of training programs focused on social media management and the production of accessible scientific content is recommended as a strategy to promote the democratization of knowledge.